Hard-Throwing Carl Returns for Fourth Season

Carl returns for a fourth season in a Goldeyes’ uniform where he ranks tied for fifth in franchise history in career wins (25), second in winning percentage (.694), fifth in strikeouts (280), and first in postseason wins (5). Last year, Carl was 9-4 with a 4.60 ERA in 19 regular season starts, and finished ninth in the American Association with 103 strikeouts. In the postseason, Carl was 2-0 with a 2.35 ERA in two starts and two relief appearances. The Farmington, New Mexico native chipped in a critical scoreless relief inning in Game One of the Division Series at Lincoln (September 6th ). The appearance kept the game tied, and allowed Winnipeg to take the lead for good in the top of the eighth. Carl also won both of his starts in the American Association Championship Series against Wichita, including the decisive Game Five on September 20th in which he held the Wingnuts to two earned runs over six and one-third innings. The Game Five victory was Carl’s fifth in the postseason as a member of the Goldeyes, surpassing current manager Rick Forney (1997-00) for a new club record.

“Edwin showed up big time in the postseason last year, and really competed at a high level in some big situations,” said Forney. “He’s got a power arm, and it’s hard to find starting pitchers like him who can go out every fifth day and throw 92, 93, 94 (miles per hour). He’s been really reliable and durable, and hopefully he can come back and be even better than he was last year.”

The 29-year-old right-hander is 41-24 lifetime with 13 saves and a 3.89 ERA in 164 appearances (71 starts) over seven years of professional baseball. Carl was originally signed by the Kansas City Royals in 2010 as a non-drafted free agent out of the University of New Mexico (Albuquerque, New Mexico). The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Carl earned all-star honours in the Rookie Pioneer League in 2011 after posting a 1.36 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 33.0 innings. Carl later earned an assignment to the prestigious Arizona Fall League in 2012, and climbed as high as the Double-A level in the Royals’ system in 2013. Carl was sidelined for the entire 2014 season due to illness, but rebounded the following year with a career-high 131 strikeouts. Carl has reached triple digit strikeouts each of the past three seasons, and has averaged 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings as a professional.

Additionally, the Goldeyes traded left-handed pitcher Evan Rutckyj to the Can-Am League’s Ottawa Champions in exchange for a player to be named later. Rutckyj was 2-0 with a 5.57 ERA for the Goldeyes last season, striking out 21 batters in 21.0 innings.

The Goldeyes now have nine players under contract for the 2018 season. American Association clubs may carry up to 28 players during spring training, which begins May 6th.

Notes: In addition to his postseason accolades, Carl was on the mound when the Goldeyes clinched the American Association North Division on August 31st at St. Paul, pitching seven shutout innings…Carl is a combined 5-0 with a 2.48 ERA for the Goldeyes in postseason play (2016-17) over five starts and three relief appearances…four of Carl’s five postseason victories came when the Goldeyes either faced elimination or trailed in the series…Carl played for the Australian Baseball League’s Perth Heat during the 2015-16 off-season…including the postseason, Carl is 17-6 in 28 career starts at Shaw Park…having struck out 115 batters for the Goldeyes in 2016, Carl is one of only seven pitchers in franchise history with two seasons of 100-plus strikeouts